Akron's Keith Dambrot piles up the honors -- but the big prize still has to be won

In the span of two days, Akron men's basketball coach Keith Dambrot has won an award and been nominated for a pair of even larger ones.If his Zips win their second Mid-American Conference tournament in three years, Dambrot would deserve all three honors — and maybe a lot more.Akron, the top seed in the MAC tournament, will play the winner of tonight's Kent State-Ball State game in the tournament semifinals on Friday at 6:30 p.m. They will do so without suspended guard Alex Abreu, who is averaging 10.3 points per game and leads the team in assists (6.0), steals (1.2) and minutes (30.2).Dambrot was named the conference's coach of the year on Wednesday, the same day he was honored as a finalist for the Hugh Durham Award, which recognizes the nation's top coach of a mid-major program.Today, he is among 20 finalists for the Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year Award. Dambrot joins a group of finalists that includes Florida's Billy Donovan, Gonzaga's Mark Few, Louisville's Rick Pitino, Wisconsin's Bo Ryan, Kansas' Bill Self and Georgetown's John Thompson III.The Zips are 24-6 overall and 14-2 in the MAC, but they likely have to win the MAC tournament to advance to the Big Dance.

In a conference call with reporters Wednesday afternoon, ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi said the Zips' odds of receiving an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament were 20% at best.Akron is No. 52 in the nation according to the Ratings Percentage Index, and the Zips' strength of schedule is No. 140 in the country. Akron is 1-2 against teams ranked in the RPI top 50.Abreu has played in 96 of 100 games, starting 74 of the contests, in his three-year career.He was outstanding in the 2012 MAC tournament, scoring 32 points and dishing out 11 assists in two games. In the memorable 2012 tourney final against Ohio, a 64-63 win by the Bobcats, Abreu had 19 points on 5-of-5 shooting (3-for-3 on 3-pointers) and added seven assists and a pair of steals.

Another huge project for Bonner

Kofi Bonner was Carmen Policy's first major hire when the former Browns president began assembling the expansion team's organization in 1998.Bonner, now the president of Lennar Urban in San Francisco, is overseeing another huge project, only this time it's as an NFL team gets set to leave.The San Francisco 49ers will exit Candlestick Park after the 2014 season to move into a new stadium in Santa Clara. In their place will be a massive redevelopment Bonner's firm is overseeing, one that, according to The Wall Street Journal, is expected to include a 3,000- to 4,000-seat amphitheater, new streets, homes, a movie theater, shopping district and 360 acres of parkland.Bonner was the Browns' executive vice president of business operations and chief administrative officer — the first African-American to hold that title in NFL history. He left the team in 2004, the same year Policy resigned. Then-Browns owner Randy Lerner named Bonner a regional director and executive VP at MBNA, where the latter worked for two years before joining Lennar Corporation as director of urban land.

Bonner also knows his history. He told the The Wall Street Journal that there might be room in the massive redevelopment for a commemorative plaque, which would be placed on the area in which former 49ers receiver Dwight Clark made “The Catch” in a 1982 playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys.You might remember that Clark also was recruited by Policy to work for the Browns.OK, you'd much rather forget that aspect of team history.

Run, then toast

Before you celebrate St. Patrick's Day, you can get in a quick jog.The 33rd annual St. Malachi Run will be Saturday, and more than 5,000 participants are expected to be at the start line. The church is located at 2459 Washington Ave. in Cleveland.The event benefits St. Malachi Outreach Services.For more information, contact Joe Neroni of Hermes Sports & Events at 216-623-9933 or by emailing jneroni@hermescleveland.com.You can follow me on Twitter for sports information, analysis and more on MAC Madness.

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